With Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign suspended on Wednesday, the question on everyone’s mind is: who will her diverse voter base support in the general election? This question remains unanswered, even for ardent Haley supporters like Carole Colburn from Arlington, Virginia.
Colburn, a self-proclaimed “huge supporter” of Haley, was in agreement with Haley’s call for a “new generational leader.” She expressed her disappointment at Haley’s decision to suspend her campaign and her apprehension at the prospect of another Trump-Biden showdown.
Following a lackluster Super Tuesday, where Haley only secured victory in one out of 15 GOP contests, she announced the suspension of her campaign. This move has made Trump the presumptive GOP nominee. However, Haley refrained from endorsing Trump, leaving it up to him to win over her supporters.
Another Haley supporter, Kelly Schofield, a traditional conservative from Fairfax County, has been following Haley’s political career since her endorsement by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Despite Haley’s campaign suspension, Schofield plans to write in Haley’s name in the November election.
Schofield, like many others, is disheartened by the likely Trump-Biden matchup in 2024. She believes that due to their advanced age, the vice-presidential candidates will be under intense scrutiny. Schofield also expressed her belief that Trump will face a significant challenge in attracting independent voters.
According to CNN’s exit polls surveying primary voters in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, and California, only 19% of Haley voters would be satisfied with Trump as the Republican nominee.
Following Haley’s exit, President Biden made an appeal to her supporters, suggesting potential common ground on issues such as democracy, rule of law, and the preservation of NATO. However, Schofield stated that Biden is not an option for her, citing concerns about the border and the economy.
Alissa Baker, a Loudoun County, Virginia, voter who backed Trump in 2016 and left the top of the ticket blank in 2020, said the prospect of voting for Biden over the former president is “definitely a consideration” for her this time around.
Meanwhile, lifelong Democrat Tamara Wilson, who voted for Haley in the Virginia primary to keep Trump off the top of the GOP ticket, hopes to encourage Republicans who voted for Haley to back Biden in November.
Jim Fetgatter, a lifelong Republican voter from Alexandria, Virginia, who backed Trump in 2020, said he won’t back Biden or Trump. Instead, he may write-in someone or vote for a third party candidate backed by the centrist group No Labels, hoping that Haley would run on the No Labels ticket – a scenario that Haley has rejected.
Brittany Martinez, who has spent her career working in Republican politics, chose Haley because she offered “new and different leadership” in the party. Martinez, a California voter who previously voted for Trump, says she will not do so again.
While Haley has dismissed the idea of serving as Trump’s vice president, some supporters are hopeful that there’s a place for her in a potential second Trump administration.
Contributor: Jeff Zeleny, CNN